A day at Dortmund; what football is about « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager

An evening in Dortmund

By Walter Broeckx

Going to Dortmund is a drive with the car of about 2 hours from my home. So it actually is closer than London is. And no water to go up, over or under.  So when the Benelux supporters met near Antwerp we were all in good mood. Of course we would have loved a win and at the carpool parking some of our members said they hoped  for a narrow win but all said they would take a draw right here and now.  On the car pool parking we met another group of supporters who had agreed to meet there. But they were wearing the yellow of Dortmund so we could share a few jokes already in Belgium.

When arriving a Dortmund we parked the car and did what most supporters do before the game: eat and drink. Some other Gooners from Belgium told us that they had gone to the town centre and that there was a great and friendly atmosphere between both supporters. Both signing their songs and enjoying some beer and Bratwurst.

One of the great things of being an Arsenal supporter is the fact that you meet all kinds and sorts of people. Yesterday I finally was meeting some Gooners from Luxemburg. I had been talking to one of them on the internet and now they came up to me in Dortmund and we had a very nice chat about football, the weather, politics in Belgium, you name it we talked about it. And may I say that they do have a lovely language they speak amongst themselves. It is called Letzeburgs and it is a language between German and French as this is where they are situated geographically of course.  Was really nice meeting you Olivier.

A strange thing was that we were standing in front of “Die Rote Erde”. Now this might not ring a bell but this was the stadium Borrussia Dortmund was playing before “Das Westfalenstadion” was built. The old ground is still standing next to the new stadium. Maybe it is used for reserves games but this was a very nostalgic looking stadium.

The Stadium. The biggest stadium in Germany when it comes to capacity. Three tribunes in the more orthodox traditional form divided in two tiers. And then the one stand we were all looking for the gigantic Sudtribune. Now it is as high as the other sides of the stadium but the fact that it is not interrupted makes it  so much more impressive. Yesterday Dortmund had to rebuild it to an all seated stand and people who know about it told me that it did reduce a part of the atmosphere.  But it was an impressive sight from the Nordtribune where we were standing in front of our seats.  Oh and for goodness sake there has never been an incident in the Sudtribune in the Bundesliga because the safety measures look to be working fine. Just let them have their standing areas if they want.

More impressions about the evening.  What about the fact that at half time we could have a drink or food and we just found out that we were sharing the stall with the home supporters. I couldn’t believe my eyes to be honest. Home and away supporters together not separated by walls just standing behind and next to each other in line waiting to order their drinks. And yes the support in the stadium was loud and electric but at half time we just stood next to each other drinking and eating.

And after the game they didn’t keep us in the stadium like they did at Barcelona or Rome in the past. No, we just could go out and mingle with the rest of the 65.000 people. There was some police but we all walked in our colours past and next to each other. Never I felt any hostile attitude against myself of my friends.

In fact when going to the car a few young Dortmund fans came over and wanted to know if we were German Gooners or from London.  The answer being from Flanders surprised them and then we got in a great conversation about football, the stadium, Borrussia Dortmund, Arsenal, the money spinners like Chelsea and City (which they don’t like at all in Dortmund), the possible Gotze to Arsenal transfer and the really big amount of money that Arsenal has been offering for him to join us. And how happy they were that he decided to stay with them.  We could have talked for hours it felt and I felt sorry when we arrived at our car. But there was not a pub insight at the parking so I couldn’t offer them a drink.

But I think this night was all that supporting the Arsenal is for me. During the game I will support my Gunners for 100%. I have difficulty to speak with a normal voice for the moment because I have been signing and shouting the whole game long.  But before and after the game I just want to meet people. Gooners but also people who support the other team. I have made my choice, they have made their choice in supporting a team. During the game we support our teams. After the game we are all human beings. And we can speak with each other in a civilized way in mutual respect.

I felt a lot of respect from the Dortmund supporters for Arsenal which they consider a very big club compared to Dortmund. I must say that I just want to say to them that they have been very friendly hosts for us Gooners and that they have succeeded in showing what football should be about: We fight each other on the field with the ball. We try to out sing the other supporters from the stands. And after the game we go home and give each other a really meant and warm handshake, wish each other the best in our respective league and may the best team win when we play each other at the Emirates.

Okay,  just change that last part and just wish Arsenal will win it. Auf Wiedersehn.

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